WHY WAS WHIZZER AND CHIPS CALLED JUST THAT?

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:07

I've always wondered why the inside section was called Chips. For most of the other comic titles you could obviously see where they were coming from. A description or character name: Buster, Cheeky, Shiver and Shake, Monster Fun, Shoot) or something dramatic to excite those 1960/70's youngsters to part with their hard earned 5p: Wham, Smash, Pow, Whoopee, Krazy, Valiant, Knockout, Fantastic, Terrific and Whizzer & ........ But any ideas where Chips might have come from? Although it does roll nicely off the tongue. Another puzzler is The Beano... Any ideas?

Originally posted by Andy J on the old forum on 22/01/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:08

I believe beano is an old word for something wonderful, just as topper, beezer etc..

Whizzer & Chips? Don't know, would it have something to do with the Platinum Age comic, Illustrated Chips?

Chris http://www.superherostore.co.uk

Originally posted by Superherostore.co.uk on the old forum on 22/01/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:08

"The Beano is an old word for something wonderful".... Hmmmm, well now that makes sense. Now sitting nicely with the rest of the comic titles.
The Chips thing is odd though. Actually, "Goodbye Mr Chips" was released in 1969, the same year as Whizzer & Chips (hitting newsagents 18th October '69)....Who knows, maybe there was a Peter O'Toole fan amongst the team.

Originally posted by Andy on the old forum on Andy

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:08

Hi Chris... Could never find reference to Beano anywhere, until after I read your post that is. I had another look and found it!
Brit. sl. a celebration; a party. [abbr. of BEANFEAST]
You were spot on there... Ah, those were the good ol' days of Beano, Dandy and Topper leading up to those LOUD titles such as WHAM, SMASH, POW and FANTASTIC. Great stuff

Originally posted by Andy on the old forum on 22/01/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:09

Andy;spot on! Denis Gifford gave the same explanation many,many years back. Also if you watch VERY OLD films you hear the word such as "we had a bit of a Beano" [may be a slang word as in middlke class slang at time:"Beano" = "VINO" [wine]! WHIZZER & CHIPS I can tell you was a gag! You see you had WHIZZER fans with a 'free' CHIPS comic within [you were told to pull out inserted CHIPS by loosening the staples first!! Also there is the old fan quip:"Are you a Whizzer or Chipite?" Hope that helps. Terry

Originally posted by Terry Hooper on the old forum on 02/04/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:09

The word "wizard" was used by schoolboys to describe something fantastic. Maybe "Whizzer" was a corruption of this.

Originally posted by Anonymous on the old forum on 10/06/2004

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:21

Have a look at the whizzer and chips family tree page. maybe you'll find something there

Originally posted by Anonymous on the old forum on 20/09/2005

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 11 Mar 2006, 15:21

Chips was the name of an old Victorian comic that had folded in the 1950's. They decided to revive the name for the 1969 one, just as they revived the name "Knockout" (which was originally a comic in the 1940's to the 1960's) in 1971.

The original version was called Illustrated Chips and the title referred to the old term for woodcut illustration: "chips" being the chippings.

"Beano" is an old term for party.

Originally posted by Anonymous on the old forum on 20/09/2005